


Just this once

by serendipitous_rambles



Series: Shirbert week [5]
Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: F/M, Mutual Pining, Tumblr Prompt, falling asleep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-19
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-10-20 02:48:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20668052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serendipitous_rambles/pseuds/serendipitous_rambles
Summary: After a long day and train journey, Anne finds herself drifting off to sleep with Gilbert sat awfully close next to her.//Tumblr prompt: Anne falling asleep against Gilbert's shoulder





	Just this once

Anne listened to the steady clacking of the train tracks as the train moved along. She was on her way home from Charlottetown after trying to find out who she was, where she came from. It had been a tougher experience than she'd liked, remembering all those hard times. She'd barely slept all night from being unable to shut her mind off.

Gilbert had joined her on the journey, something about training with a family friend who was a doctor in Charlottetown. He was sat beside her on the train, nose in a book while she looked out at the passing view.

She supposed they were friends now, but being in silence with Gilbert had never been uncomfortable. They were used to studying together in silence, the odd question passed between them. But she hadn't really been this close to him before. Normally they'd be sat at a table at a respectable distance while they scribbled down notes, but on the train they were sat so close in the cramped seats that their arms were touching.

Anne tried to ignore the burning feeling in her arm at where they touched, and shuffled so her head was leaning against the window and her arm just out of Gilbert's touch.

She continued to look out at the passing countryside, a blur of white and brown from the winter weather. A yawn escaped her mouth, the lack of sleep finally catching up with her. 

Her gaze shifted briefly over to Gilbert who was still reading. His jaw was clenched slightly as he focused, his forehead creased. Blame her sleep deprived state, but Anne felt herself wanting to reach out and smooth his forehead back to its usual soft look. But thankfully she was just sound enough in mind to  _ not  _ do that, no matter how hard it was.

It wasn't until Gilbert looked up from his book (finally giving her that warm smile) that she realised she had been staring at him. Her cheeks flushed and she quickly turned away again, back to the window. But she found herself not looking at the view, but Gilbert's reflection. He seemed to be looking at her in a way she'd never seen before, a real fondness in it. Once again, she blamed the sleep deprivation, oblivious to the fact that this was how Gilbert almost always looked at her when he didn't think she was looking.

He turned back to his book, quietly humming under his breath. Only Anne could hear because of how close he was sitting. Any other day she would have yelled at him to "knock it off", but instead she found it oddly calming, her eyes growing heavier and heavier.

* * *

Gilbert looked up when he felt something fall against his shoulder. Anne's head was leaning against him, her red hair tickling his neck where she was leaning. 

Slowly he lowered his book, tilting his head down to try and see what was wrong but she was fast asleep.

He smiled, terrified to even breathe in case she moved away from him. They had never been this close before, but to Gilbert it felt like one of the most natural things in the world. They were just a perfect fit.

Hesitantly, he tilted his head so that his cheek was resting atop her head. It had been a long day, so he thought about closing his eyes for just a second. 

After a while, Anne woke up, feeling something tickling her forehead. When she looked up she realised she could feel Gilbert's slow, steady breaths as he slept, his cheek leaning against her head. She didn't move though, she didn't know why. Maybe it was the fact that Gilbert was actually quite comfortable, far more comfortable than the cold train window anyway. 

He seemed quite peaceful, and they still had a bit of a journey left. It had been a tough few days, but Gilbert had managed to supply her with some comfort, some stability. And she really was tired.

So, ignoring the comments Mrs Lynde would have made if she saw such a thing, she leaned her head back on his shoulder and closed her eyes, hiding her smile in his shoulder.

Hopefully he would wake up first and act like nothing had happened to save her embarrassment. But for now...just this once... she'd allow it. 

**Author's Note:**

> if any of you remember that scene in the Lizzie Maguire movie when she and Gordo fall asleep against each other on the plane? thats what i was thinking of when writing this


End file.
